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The vehicle that would eventually be called the Ontos started out as the first of three prototypes created by Grumman Amalgamated designers. While all three performed adequately, the Ontos was chosen due to to the fact that its main armament never needed to be reloaded in a protracted engagement. It is rumored that the designer for the Ontos was inspired by an ancient and obscure Terran vehicle that shared the same name.

The Ontos has proven popular throughout the Inner Sphere, especially so in the Free Worlds League where it is a mainstay in House Marik heavy tank units. It is often used as an ambush unit due to its short range and slow speed.

Earlier versions of the Ontos had problems with overheating that could burn out the power amplifiers. This issue was later corrected by forcing the lasers to fire in sequence rather than all at once.

The Ontos is armed with an array of eight Martell Model 5 Medium Lasers. This requires the Ontos to carry over 24 tons of power amplifiers and heat sinks, however the primarily energy weapon based armament means it can continue to fight on when supplies run short. Two Longfire LRM-5 missile racks provide covering fire for use when the Ontos is required to assault or move to a new position.

This variant of the Ontos removes the Medium Lasers and their supporting equipment for a more efficient pair of LRM-20 missile racks. The existing LRM-5s are upgraded to LRM-10 racks.BV (1.0) = ??, BV (2.0) = 1,249

Fusion

This variant takes a standard Ontos and installs a rare fusion engine. The armaments of this model are ten medium lasers and two LRM-10s with two tons of ammunition. Armor has also been added. BV (2.0) = 1287[2]

3058 Upgrade

The influx of rediscovered technology allowed Grumman to replace the ICE with a new 285 GM Cold-Start Fusion engine, which removed the need for power amplifiers and increased available space. While four of the original medium lasers were retained, the remainder were replaced with a trio of Intek Medium Pulse Lasers. The twin LRM-5 racks were replaced by a single Delta Dart LRM-15 which utilized an Artemis IV tracking system. An additional SRM-4 and SRM-6 missile rack, both mounting Artemis IV, were also added to further increase the Ontos' short range firepower. Protection was not ignored, with the new Ontos incorporating a CASE system, and mounting over nine tons of Ferro-Fibrous armor. BV (1.0) = ??, BV (2.0) = 1,242

Light Gauss

A further update of the 3058 Ontos, the Light Gauss Ontos removes all weapons to mount three Light Gauss Rifles, four tons of ammunition, and two ER Medium Lasers. BV (1.0) = ??, BV (2.0) = 1,269

MML

As an modification of the Light Gauss variant one of these weapons is replaced with 2 MML 7 launchers and the ammunition is protected by CASE. [3] BV (2.0) = 1,268[4]

Produced by Quickscell Company. The Ontos HEAT (Hostile Environment Assault Tank) uses a Combat Vehicle Escape Pod to protect the crew in the event of a catastrophic failure. To provide protection from hostile environments, the entire Ontos is enclosed with Environmental Sealing. Equipped with an ER Large Laser and Enhanced LRM-15 for long range fire, it also mounts three Medium Lasers to fight at close range. Ten tons of Ferro-Fibrous armor protects against weapon fire. BV (2.0) = 1,173[6]

Equipped with several experimental systems the Ontos X AAAT was undergoing testing for the LAAF on the world of Despair when it was seized by Captain Theobald West and his crew. Sealed against vacuum conditions and equipped with a Combat Vehicle Escape Pod, West and his crew used the NLRM-10 and eight Medium Lasers of the Ontos X to destroy all the vacuum-capable vehicles held by the garrison. They then ransomed several high ranking scientists back to the LAAF and disappeared. BV (2.0) = 962[7]